Como, Italy

COMO, city in Lombardy, northern Italy. In 1400 the Christian residents of Como requested the duke of Milan to segregate its few Jewish inhabitants. The Jews living in Como during the 15^th century were mainly engaged in moneylending. They suffered considerably from the animosity aroused in the Christian populace by the preaching of the friars, but the duke did not yield to demands for their expulsion. However, in 1597 the Spanish government expelled the Jews from the duchy and the community in Como ceased to exist.

Source: Encyclopaedia Judaica. © 2008 The Gale Group. All Rights Reserved.